Norway set to ban semi-automatic guns from 2021
Norway plans to ban semi-automatic firearms as of 2021, a decade after rightwing extremist Anders Breivik’s mass shooting that left 69 people dead, a Norwegian lawmaker said on Tuesday.
Europe
This archive covers progress stories and milestones from across Europe, spanning health, climate policy, social equity, and scientific research. From small-nation experiments to E.U.-wide initiatives, these reports highlight what is working and why.
Court rules U.K. air pollution plan is “unlawful”, in a win for environmental activists
“The Environment Secretary must ensure that, in each of the 45 areas, steps are taken to achieve compliance as soon as possible, by the quickest route possible and by a means that makes that outcome likely.”
China will plant 32,400 square miles of trees to combat air pollution
China has tasked 60,000 soldiers to increase the country’s total forest coverage in an attempt to combat its serious air pollution problem.
Renewables overtake coal in European electricity supply
Good wind conditions and huge investment into wind energy have helped the European Union generate more electricity from renewable energy sources like wind, solar and biomass than from coal in 2017, a new study has shown.
German union wins right to 28-hour working week and 4.3% pay rise
German workers won a key victory in their fight for a better work-life balance when a big employers’ group agreed to demands from the country’s largest trade union for the introduction of a 28-hour working week.
France to shut all coal-fired power stations by 2021, Macron declares
The 2021 goal sets a more aggressive target than the timeline advanced by Mr Macron’s predecessor, Francois Hollande, who sought to shut down the country’s coal-powered plants by 2023.
Banking giant Lloyd’s of London to divest from coal over climate change
Lloyd’s of London, the world’s oldest insurance market, has become the latest financial firm to announce that it plans to stop investing in coal companies.
World’s first electric container barges to sail from European ports this summer
Dubbed the ‘Tesla of the canals’, the unmanned vessels will operate on Dutch and Belgian waterways, vastly reducing diesel vehicles and emissions
New data shows solar energy creates more jobs in United States than any other industry
According to the census, solar energy adds jobs 17 times faster than the overall economy in the United States.
France sets out ten-point plan to double wind power capacity by 2023
The government said the proposed reforms will cut in half the average time it takes for wind power projects to be completed and connected to the French electricity grid.